Partager les Jardins des Tuileries

The weekends pass too fast...along with the weeks, for that matter....but we are happy to see the days of really cold and snow fading away...and giving way to the giboulées de Mars, never sure what the weather will be, rain, wind, sun, maybe hail...The Giboulées are a sure sign that Le Printemps is on its way.   The day was consumed with finding the perfect photo, as my photog husband was in another photo competition.  Having this "photo-goal" kept us on a somewhat rigid schedule,  as we had many photo "ops" picked out for the many shots that would end with the one GREAT shot...la photo du jour compétitif.    Walking down rue Cler  we began our shooting...  the cafés bulging with the Saturday mid-morning crowd, the from-all-over tourists staring at the daily specials boards, not realizing that they were the same as yesterday....the legumes et fruits saisonnier artfully displayed (is it time to make that cresson soup I've been hungry for?) ... the long line for the tasty nutella crepes, as the little ones race in and out on their lasers, the well-dressed ladies of the quartier discussing the evening's dinner plans, quickly walking to L'Epicerie Fine to buy some Bertillon Ice Cream (the only place in the neighborhood that sells it)...ohh, so many ops.. But we walk on and take the bus 69 to reach the other side of the river to make the pilgrimage walk thru Les Jardins des Tuileries.  

Partager Photos - IZIS Paris des Rêves

Being the social director is never an easy task...especially in Paris where there is something to do every minute and on every corner.. j'exagére un peu...What to do...AND what to do next??  is always the question....So we are on the bus on our way to our first scheduled stop, the Bibliothéque Fourney for an exhibition of contemporary textile art that had been recommended by J.; (whihc was quite inspiring for all),  to be followed by a bite to eat at my favorite falafel restaurant on Rue de Rosiers, L'As du Falafel.  I have been eating at this restaurant for years, before I found out it was"famous" on the tourist route,  and it deserves that talk because it is good and does not change...the house lemonades only get better!  So back to our tour de jour....as we pass the Hotel de Ville, I see there is NO line (to speak of ...) for the IZIS free exhibition!!  I can only think that it is our lucky day!  AVOIR LE BON CHANCE!  The waiting lines have been all around to the front door of BHV ever since the photo exhibition had opened!   So, I give the sortie the bus command to all of my charges (all family, thank goodness no paying customers for this petit tour) and we hurriedly cross the street to the exposition.  Well, if you know Paris, you (rather I)  should have known there was a REASON for this petit queue....the exposition was fermer until 2:30...yes, and it was only 1:30!  C'est dommage!  We were determined to wait it out, as is the custom here;  plus I have been longing to see this Paris des Rêves exposition....so a long wait turned into quality family time...and the rewards from the exposition were worth every minute we waited.  


A few words about  Izis IZISIS, born in Lithuania,  ... moved to Paris when he was 19 years of age.  He was friends with Colette, Jacques Prévert and Marc Chagall.  This exposition is "Paris of his Dreams"  of post war Paris...the poetic images of love, the sadness of lives lost to the fight for liberty and the reinvention of family after such a devastating event.
You will remember the images he caught for quite a while....


So, If you are in Paris this spring, take a chance, stand in line for awhile and Partager les photos of IZIS and his dreams of Paris...


Hôtel de Ville until 29 Mai, 2010

Partager the Louvre

I love going to the Louvre!! It is always so full of life and activity!  Never a dull moment and easy to get caught up in the excitement of being in Paris and AT THE LOUVRE!!  I have lived here for so many years and  I still have not made it all the way thru!  What a challenging place!  and one that is always changing...Not only the exhibitions, (the Sainte Russie is incredible!) but the boutiques that are so cleverly placed all along the way.  My friend, J,  has an Amis du Louvre card, which offers her special privileges.  Many privileges come with being a friend of the Lourvre:  a special entrance anytime you decide to visit during museum hours, bien sûr, which to me really warrants this special card (the lines are waayyy too long somedays),  invitations to all the "special" stuff that goes on in the nooks and crannies of the museum, the special feeling of belonging to this most famous museum...and if that isn't enough, she is allowed to invite her own amie to new exhibitions.  Lucky that I am J's amie!!  If you are planning to spend a year or more in Paris, think about becoming a friend of the Louvre.  I'm sure you will be glad you did.

Partager RED TAPE!

Somehow I missed a week of my life...it happens to all of us, don't you think.. ? Sometimes, it is on purpose, other times it just can't be helped.  I spent the last week mulling over many big things in life...one of those things was doing Les Impots, or commonly known to us as TAXES.  Yes, even though we live in France, we must file USA taxes, as well as French taxes.  It is a time-consuming task...all should be printed, scanned, named, put in special files, desktop and in-desk, ..and rechecked with corrections in RED...It isn't the difficulty of the task, but just the confusion of turning over the RIGHT STUFF!  Although I have lived here a while now, I still maintain confusion about what is the URSSAF or CNBF(CIPAV), RAM (RSI),!! or any other optional charges that  I might have paid throughout the past year, that just might be deductible!  And believe me, you are looking for any and all deductions when you realize how much of your worth is given back to maintain the social structures of this beautiful country we are now calling home.
  
So, I have just licked the BIG envelope closed, and the important decision is... do I trust La Poste or do I take the bus and hand-deliver this important, personal item?  I think I will opt for the bus, I did help pay for it and it is ohhh so convenient.  Partager a ride on BUS 92 with me?  

Partager Pharmacie

Pharmacies are everywhere in France, especially in Paris.  If it isn't a coiffeur, it's a pharmacy.  And thank goodness for that, because, the pharmacists play a more substantial role than they did at my Walgreen's in Florida.  Here, besides being very kind and sympathetic, they will recommend drugs for you and sometimes, even refill your prescription although it has run out...that is if they know you and its not a heavy drug you are trying for....Once, when we were traveling in southern France, I forgot my pills, which did make my husband crazy...
"how could you forget a pill that you take everyday of your life??!"  

Partager de Livres

BOOKS, BOOKS,  BOOKS... we all love them..we love to spend time with them...

Wars have been fought over them,.. Lives have been led according to them...
Rules have been made from them..
Clubs have argued about them...
Movies have been made from them...
Nights have been spent with them....
Days have been shared with them...
Fantasies have been woven from them....
Ideas have been created from them....
Friendships have been made due to them..
Fairs have been organized for them..
Libraries have been built for them...
Art has been inspired from them...
Money has been spent on them....
and Time should be devoted to them.....